The Development Authority of McDuffie County is working on a program to keep existing employers happy.

"While recruiting new, clean industry is obviously important to our long term growth, studies show that 60 percent to 80 percent of all new jobs are created by existing firms," Don Powers, Executive Director of the Development Authority, said in a Monday press release. "And industrial recruitment efforts are less likely to be successful if existing businesses are unsatisfied."

The Business Retention & Expansion program - which will start this month in McDuffie County - is aimed at "creating a more self-reliant local economy and improving on an already healthy business climate," according to the press release.

The program is being implemented in the five area counties - McDuffie, Columbia, Lincoln, Wilkes and Warren - participating in the Clarks Hill Partnership.

Each county will maintain their own program, but will also share information that could help spur regional growth.

The BR&E program will eventually help the Development Authority create and implement a strategic plan for supporting local industries, according to the press release.

In order to develop the strategic plan, teams will survey local industries using the "Synchronist" survey instrument, developed by Blane Canada Ltd, which was provided to McDuffie County by BellSouth and The Georgia Department of Economic Development. The survey process will be a group effort involving local officials and representatives from the State, Georgia Power and Georgia Electric Municipal Cooperative.